The outing originated as a challenge on Twitter between the two directors, each of them selecting four additional golfers with affiliations to their respective schools to join in the rivalry fun.

Hollis — who Brandon speculated initiated the first tweet about the challenge — selected Brehm, Masters qualifier Jack Newman and professional golfers Jimmy Chestnut and Sue Ertl.

In addition to throwing out jabs at one another on Twitter, the athletics directors solidified the power of social media, as Hollis said 99 percent of the challenge was discussed over the social media site.

“It was creating the rules, how many players (and) who we wanted,” Hollis said.

“It was kind of a fun thing because many times we were sitting across the table from each other during breaks at Big Ten meetings and, rather than talking to each other, we were tweeting rules back and forth.”

Representing maize and blue, Brandon selected professional golfers Andy Matthews and Lion Kim, recent U-M graduate Ashley Bauer and Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely.

For every hole, each team took the top two scores to make up the team score.

Despite the intense rivalry between MSU and U-M, the two emphasized how the golf outing is a friendly competition, and the pair wouldn’t have decided to participate if they didn’t respect and enjoy one another’s company.

“We put this together in the spirit of partnership and brought back former student-athletes — who I think are going to have a great time wearing their respective school colors — and going at it again, but doing it in a way of great fun and camaraderie and sportsmanship,” Brandon said.

“That’s the relationship (Hollis) and I have.”

Hollis and Brandon said they hope the challenge becomes an annual event, and while they’re excited to bring the two schools together, they discussed the idea of opening the challenge to other Michigan universities or the Big Ten Conference.

Regardless of future participants, Hollis said he and Brandon have a lot of pride in the state of Michigan and their schools, and an event like this draws attention to the respected schools.

“We help each other all we can,” Hollis said.

“This is another expression of how much we love this state, and that’s kind of why we’re doing this.”